BMW XM: The Most Powerful SUV produced by BMW

Ralph Jason Avenido
4 min readOct 24, 2022

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New BMW XM
BMW XM

​​Late in the year 2021, BMW revealed the Concept XM with the goal of producing the most powerful M car in the history of the brand. Because of the increasing demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs), BMW M has decided to release an SUV rather than a sporty sedan in response to market demand.

In the mid of 2022, BMW announced the XM to the public, and we were finally able to get our hands on one in October of that same year in Palm Springs, California. Orders for the BMW XM are currently being accepted, and delivery is expected to begin in 2023.

Price and Other Competition

XM is BMW’s most costly sport utility vehicle to date. The base price of a 2023 BMW XM in the United States will be $159,000 (MSRP), excluding a $995 destination and handling fee. While BMW has been unclear on the XM Label Red’s price, they have said it will be “above $185,000.

Since the GLS is a three-row vehicle and the GLE is smaller, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t have a direct competitor for the 2023 XM, but for the same money, one may get behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV. Although it lacks the BMW’s power and places the focus on sheer luxury rather than dynamism, many will find that they prefer its subtle appearance.

The Lamborghini Urus is a better comparison because of its similar performance and design. The Urus is more expensive by at least $100,000, has fewer horsepower, and weighs over a thousand pounds less. The driving experience should be more pleasurable. However, it won’t be quite as luxurious as the XM. The new Ferrari Purosangue and the far sexier Aston Martin DBX707 are two other competitors in the super SUV market.

BMW XM Design

The new BMW XM is nearly indistinguishable from the XM Concept that debuted a year ago. While you may not like BMW’s creative choices, at least the company is consistent in bringing its concept cars to production.

Large, lighted kidney grilles and split headlights with hidden main beams are both consistent with the design concept.
Standard on the XM are 21-inch alloy wheels, but you’ll want to go for the optional 22- or 23-inches to make the most of the car’s angular wheel arches.
The back tells the same picture. The taillights are similarly elegant in style, and a huge diffuser at the rear houses four exhaust pipes in two vertical stacks.

Two engraved BMW logos, similar to the ones on the original M1 supercar, can be found in the upper corners of the rear windscreen.

BMW XM’s Interior

The interior of BMW’s next hybrid performance SUV is revolutionary and raises the bar for interior design.

It’s no secret that people today have a fondness for high-riding vehicles, so the widespread availability of SUVs is no surprise. Since the introduction of the BMW X5 at the beginning of the century, BMW has had huge success with its lineup of crossovers and SUVs.

The new BMW XM hybrid is being marketed as a performance SUV with the ‘M’ history, design, and performance characteristics built-in from the get-go, in contrast to the X3 and X5, which can be ordered in the performance-oriented ‘M’ trim.

Nonetheless, the next BMW XM’s interior is a striking demonstration of the company’s new design approach.

We take a quick peek inside this luxury car to see what makes it special and why it may deserve praise for its class and luxury.

BMW XM’s Interior Details

Like most modern cars, the 12.3" digital cluster and 14.9" infotainment panel make up a massive screen that stretches over the dashboard and serves as the highlight of the cabin.

Trim around the speakers, door handles, and air vents can be ordered in contrasting aluminum if the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System is used.

BMW uses carbon fiber as a finishing touch to ensure that the ‘M’ motorsport concept is understood as if the previous combination of textures and materials wasn’t enough.

The new XM will, of course, come with all the normal amenities and features seen in contemporary luxury vehicles, and the dashboard’s minimalist design helps the cabin look neat and sophisticated because so many functions are managed by the infotainment system.

BMW uses ‘M’ badging and colors extensively throughout the car, notably on the seat belt fabric and on the front seat headrests, which bear the ‘M’ emblem and glow to further emphasize the fact that you are in an ‘M’ vehicle, even in the dark.

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